Elephantasia

FASHION FOR CONSERVATION DEBUTED ITS ELEPHANT-INSPIRED CATWALK EXHIBITION AT LONDON FASHION WEEK TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE ELEPHANT POACHING CRISIS

LONDON – Elephant silhouettes rocked the runway during London Fashion Week, as Fashion for Conservation presented their Elephantasia campaign raising awareness and funds for African elephants.

Twenty-four international designers featured couture pieces created to encourage guests to engage in conservation and make conscious fashion choices. Intricate elephant shapes sewn in gold on silk by Kromagnon, white silk double-breasted evening pantsuit featuring elephant-painted lining by Gabriela Rose, voluminous grey coats by Amin Phillips and Autonomous, colorful elephant print dresses by Tatiana Shebelnik, and a robust royal empire jumpsuit by Annafora graced the runway. Closing the show was a stunning oversized couture piece of muted green strands with a mesh underlay by Rene Garza of Re.ne(w). To accessorize the collection, C.Nicol showed off whimsical vegan backpacks made from pineapple husk, and Ashanti Renee showcased an array of intricately beaded tribal jewelry made by women in Africa. Others included Free Mind, Gypset Girl, Dawnamatrix, J. Von Stratton, Meredith Allen, AS Fashion Ibiza, Shriti Pratap, Ivory Ella, NO VOICE and Prophetik.

“VIP guests were earmarked with a white painted X on their hands to symbolize our fight against extinction,” states Ava Holmes, Fashion for Conservation co-founder. “We also presented goodie bags equipped with the first issue of our Fashion for Conservation magazine, highlighting elephant-inspired editorials, moving interviews with conservationists and this season’s participating designers.”

While the hauntingly beautiful live vocal and instrumental by Shaman Medicine Man Anthar Kharana entertained, the Elephantasia collection mesmerized all...reminding guests that preservation and protection of one of the most beautiful animals in the world depends on us.

The Elephantasia collection and FFFC Magazine are available for purchase online with proceeds benefitting the African Wildlife Foundation. A portion of all proceeds and 100% of donations benefit African Wildlife Foundation whose U.K. representative Kirstin Jhonson topped the night off with an eloquent keynote speech on the facts and critical efforts behind her team’s work.

Fashion for Conservation was founded by three women determined to make a positive impact on the world through conservation-inspired couture. Nazanine Afshar (Art Director, British Vogue), Dr. Samantha Zwicker (wildlife conservationist) and Ava Holmes (wilderness survivor and fashion week producer), combined their talents and passions to create fashion campaigns that educate consumers on animals and ecosystems, while donating 100% of funds raised to wildlife groups.

To stay up to date on the campaign follow #Elephantasia @FashionforConservation and @Elephantasia2017 on Instagram.

Can you imagine a world without elephants? One elephant is killed every fifteen minutes. At this rate they could be extinct within this decade. Elephants are a keystone species to their environment, meaning that their ecosystem and animals that share it dependent on them. Culturally, they symbolize globally practiced peaceful activities like yoga and meditation. They are also icons of the entire African and Asian continents. Elephants unite people in a global community. These gentle giants are also the largest and most ancient land animal.

Campaign History

Elephantasia 2016 premiered at Vancouver Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 as covered by the The New York Times, The Huffington Post and UK Vogue, recently featured during US Eco Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017 and will be presenting during London Fashion Week this fall. Elephantasia is one of numerous campaigns within FFC—a movement highlighting conservation through fashion and the arts. FFC has partnered with over a dozen charities in bringing conservation into the fashion community through similar events and media campaigns including those designed to shed light on conservation. Read more about Fashion for Conservation...

Venue Partnership

Fashion Scout, the international showcase for fashion pioneers, is the UK’s largest independent showcase for emerging designers and established design talent during London Fashion Week. Fashion Scout is renowned for championing, nurturing and showcasing creative talent and London and Kiev. Over the past 10 years Fashion Scout has launched the careers of a number of pioneering designers including Iris Van Herpen, Peter Pilotto, Eudon Choi, David Koma, Felder Felder, Maria Francesca Pepe, Piers Atkinson, Agi and Sam, Martina Spetlova, Helen Lawrence, Georgia Harding and many more. Featuring a selection of innovative UK and international designers, Fashion Scout London will be hosting over 30 catwalk shows, salon shows and presentations this February. Fashion Scout London is held at the iconic Freemasons’ Hall, Covent Garden, from Friday 15th February to Tuesday 19th September 2017, Fashion Scout’s 22nd season during London Fashion Week.

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Elephantasia engages the fashion-concious in the conservation of African elephants killed for their ivory tusks through interactive fashion events and an elephant inspired apparel collection giving 30% - 100% back to the African Wildlife Foundation 501(c)(3).

SHOP FOR CONSERVATION

30% - 100% OF ALL SALES SUPPORT THE AFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION THIS SEASON.

Earth-Friendly Couture

Made without harming the earth. Plant-based dies, organic cottons, and recycled products (plastic bottles, rubber, fabrics) are a few of the Eearth-Friends materials from which the couture is made.

Supporting Independent Brands

Business for independent labels globally. Each Elephantaisa collection features a dozen different designers and brands from different countries, each with a unique interpretation of "The Elephant."

Giving back to Elephants

30% - 100% for the Elephants. Saving the elephants one style at a time ensuring a future for all wildlife and eco-systems that depend on them and for generations and generations of of Elephant-lovers to come.